If it’s an April Fools joke it’s a week early, but still a good one.
ADHEREL
The WTA Tour announced this afternoon that CEO Larry Scott is stepping down from his position — to become commissioner of the NCAA’s PAC-10 Conference.

The move will become effective July 1, 2009. Scott will work with the tour board on the selection process for the next chairman and CEO.

“With women’s professional tennis more popular than ever, the tour in the strongest business position in its history and a fantastic senior management team in place, now is the right time for me to embrace a new challenge consistent with my family and personal goals, and leave room for the next generation of tour leadership to take on new responsibilities,” Scott said.

During his six year tenure as chairman and CEO, Scott is credited with engineering a turnaround for women’s tennis, attracting the milestone Sony Ericsson sponsorship.

“Under Larry’s leadership, the tour and our sport have grown over the past six years beyond anyone’s wildest expectations,” said Steve Simon, tournament board representative and chairman of the tournament council.

Achievements under Scott included passage of the tour’s Roadmap plan, equal prize money at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, signing of the largest sponsorship deal in the history of women’s sport and professional tennis with Sony Ericsson at $88 million over 6 years, and a 500% increase in sponsorship revenues and a 40% increase in prize money and $710 million in new stadium investments.

6 Comments for Scott Leaving WTA CEO Position to Head NCAA PAC-10 Conference

Von Says:

“Achievements under Scott included passage of the tour’s Roadmap plan, equal prize money at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, signing of the largest sponsorship deal in the history of women’s sport and professional tennis with Sony Ericsson at $88 million over 6 years, and a 500% increase in sponsorship revenues and a 40% increase in prize money and $710 million in new stadium investments.”

And, despite it all, women’s tennis is in the worst shape it has ever been. Now Scott can move on an d mess up another organization. I suppose the Peer saga got him moving before the axe fell on him. At least that’s one area in which his neurotransmitters are firing correctly, but they have absolutely short circuited in many others. anyway, what the saying, good riddance to ….

I thought it was Billy Jean King who was instrumental in equal prize money coming to fruition. I’m amazed at the amount of sponsors, endorsements and other stuff the women players are able to attract as opposed to the men. And, i personally don’t feel the women should receive equl prize money for only playing 3 sets at the GS.

“With women’s professional tennis more popular than ever, the tour in the strongest business position in its history..”

I wonder if these people actually believe women’s tennis is more popular? They need to wake up from the stupor they’re under. The women’s tour can’t even hold a No. 1 for more than a few weeks.

‘I’m amazed at the amount of sponsors, endorsements and other stuff the women players are able to attract as opposed to the men. ‘

and that’s Larry Scott’s key achievement. He joined when WTA needed the cash badly, was lacking reliable sponsors and he is leaving them in good financial shape. But if your star players are not healthy or dedicated enough to compete on regular basis, the cash alone can keep you running only for so long. So based on what we started with, his tenure has to be considered a success.

Right now what WTA lacks is players like BJK who understand that their financial future is in their own hands and were looking beyond their own records and clothing lines.

Yes, Larry Scott did leave the WTA in a financially sound position with respect to money and sponsors, but there’s a lot lacking in the WTA that is needful of an administrator who places more emphasis on growing the quality of the tennis than the money coming in. The women are so heavily endorsed whereby they become millionaires overnight, and as a result aren’t putting in much effort in raising the quality of their games. Vaidisova is a prime example, so much talent, but she’s off the radar. Whatever happened there?

The women were paid more at Indian Wells than the men. Something about maths.

This despite the fact that there were no Williams sisters, and the next favourites all lost early (Demmy, Safina, Janks, Kuzy). There wasn’t much excitement with on the women’s side of the draw in IW, and you can tell because the blog post for the women’s final barely had any comments in it, while the men’s matches had hundreds. There’s just not much to talk about right now. Good on Zvonereva for winning her first t1 though.

Women are more marketable, but their game is not delivering equal value in entertainment quality or time on court. I believe in equality, but I believe it should be earnt, and it hasn’t been at this point.

I was wondering about Vaidisova just today myself. What a coincidence. As a 15 year old, she was amazing.

Thank you, Larry Scott of your great courage and expertise for all you’ve done for the sport of tennis. Good luck and blessings to your wonderful family as you chase all future endeavors. Sincerely, angelrose.

[…] last six months tennis has lost top dawgs in the USTA’s Arlen Kantarian, ATP’s ET and now the WTA’s Larry Scott has announced he will leave his CEO post to run the PAC-10 this summer. ET aside, I can’t blame either Arlen or Larry for […]